Burnaby school district says cyberattack may have exposed student and parent information

The Burnaby School District says hackers may have obtained student and parent information in a recent cyberattack. In an online notice, the district said the ransomware attack on Sept. 21 affected school websites and portals, internal network services and phone lines.

Hackers copied and stole files that may have included the names and contact information of parents, guardians and students, as well as birthdates, grades and school names. The attackers may also have obtained registration forms, kindergarten assessment notes and detailed lists of students on specialized learning plans.

The district said the matter has been turned over to the RCMP and B.C.’s privacy commissioner. It is evaluating system security to prevent further breaches. Staff, students and their families have been offered registration with TransUnion’s fraud alert service, and the district urged them to watch for suspicious communications.

The notice said the district understands incidents of this kind are concerning and remains committed to updating the Burnaby Schools community as the investigation proceeds and more information becomes available.